Hofburg, Innsbruck

The Hofburg was built on a site once occupied by the fortifications and towers of the medieval city. In the fourteenth century, when Innsbruck was ruled by the House of Gorizia, the city's defensive walls included a section located where the Hofburg main façade stands today on Rennweg. Three structural elements of these early fortifications were retained and integrated into the palace: the South Roundel with its Hofgasse-Rennweg passageway on the eastern side of the palace was once called the Rumer Gate or Saggen Gate or Heraldic Tower, the North Roundel on the northeastern side was once a round tower, and the Corner Cabinet museum room was once a rectangular defensive tower. The town wall ran from the Rumer Gate to the round tower and continued west the rectangular tower, which can still be seen in the Hofburg façade as an irregularly projecting corner block. In 1406, Leopold's brother Frederick IV, Duke of Austria (called Frederick with the Empty Pockets) became ruler of Tyrol. Frederick moved the seat of rule from Meran in present-day South Tyrol to Innsbruck, and constructed his New Residence, the building with the Goldenes Dachl west of the Hofburg area. For Maria Theresa, the Hofburg took on greater importance "as a memorial site and representational building" to honor her husband. Per the empress's instructions, the anteroom where Francis died was converted into the Hofburg Chapel in 1766. The east wing was redesigned to accommodate the newly founded Noblewomen's Collegiate Foundation. New ceilings were installed, court building director Constantin Johann Walter was named creative planner, and in 1767 Maria Theresa placed her court architect Nikolaus Pacassi—responsible for converting Schönbrunn Palace into a residential palace in Rococo style—in charge of the design and appearance of the main façade on Rennweg. After the roof framework was modified in 1774, the Giants' Hall ceiling fresco was executed by Franz Anton Maulbertsch, the master of Austrian Rococo, between 1775 and 1776. The result of this extended renovation project under Maria Theresa is the Hofburg we see today. During the Napoleonic Wars, after the Habsburgs ceded Tyrol to Napoleon's Bavarian allies in 1805, the Hofburg became a residence of King Maximilian I Joseph of Bavaria (1756–1825). In 1809, the South Tyrolean innkeeper Andreas Hofer led an uprising against the occupying Bavarian administration, and following the successful Third Battle of Bergisel on 13 August 1809, Hofer moved into the Hofburg for two months, serving as the leader of Tyrol. After the Congress of Vienna, Tyrol was returned to Austria. In 1858, the last major reorganisation of the imperial apartments took place following the model of Schönbrunn Palace. Vienna court sculptor August La Vigne was commissioned to design the residential area in the Rococo style. Many of the furnishing added at that time are still in the imperial rooms today. During the course of his long reign, Emperor Franz Joseph stayed at the Hofburg in Innsbruck on numerous occasions. Empress Elisabeth of Austria, however, stayed overnight at the Hofburg only once, on 14–15 October 1871. Other Habsburg archdukes, Franz Josef's uncle Ferdinand Karl (1818–1874), cousin Eugen (1863–1954), and nephew Heinrich Ferdinand (1878–1969) stayed for longer periods of time at the Hofburg imperial apartments during the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. ==Imperial Apartments==

The following is a list of rooms in the Hofburg imperial apartments, starting at the Vestibule to the Chapel and moving counter-clockwise. The vestment bears the appliquéd imperial coats of arms of Hungary, Bohemia, Burgundy, and Tyrol on the outer front side, and the Austrian coat of arms on the inside. The initials "F.I." and "M.T." appear on the name tag. The apex of the altar niche bears a cartouche with a crowning scroll bearing the empress's initials "M.T." The back wall of the niche is adorned by a large gilt cross and a painted relief group by F. A. Leitensdorfer depicting God the Father surrounded by mourning angels. He became the son-in-law of Emperor Ferdinand III through his marriage to Eleanor of Austria, whose portrait hangs on the window wall. • The Servants' Room contains "chairs of hard wood" supplied to the servants accompanying Emperor Ferdinand I to Innsbruck in 1838. • The Court Table Setting is set for dessert in the style of a family dinner at court around 1840. • The Servants' Corridor connected two State Rooms on outer sides of the Hofburg. • The Portrait Gallery contains a series of portraits of prominent members of the Habsburg dynasty. Transferred to the Hofburg from Vienna, the collection contains portraits of all the Habsburg emperors from Joseph I (1705–1711) to Franz Joseph (1848–1916). • The Furniture Gallery shows the different styles of each period, from the ornate empire style to the simpler and elegant Biedermeier style. The furniture pieces are traditional and unique craft products produced by the Thonet company. • The Crafts Room illustrates the significant wealth of the Hofburg family. • The Documentation Room shows the foundation of Giants' Hall. ==Gothic Hall==

The Gothic Hall in the basement of the north wing was built in 1494 as a five-nave hall containing a cross-groined vault and medieval brickwork. This hall was once the entrance area connecting the northern gate with the drawbridge. The western part of the hall is still in its original Gothic condition. The southern part of the hall was most likely lowered during the Renaissance period. The eastern part of the hall was altered during the eighteenth century when dividing walls with a lower arch were installed between 1765 and 1779. The altered hall was once used as a kitchen. The total area of the Gothic Hall is 650 square metres (2133 square feet). ==Palace Courtyard==

The large cobblestoned palace courtyard measuring 1300 square metres (4265 square feet) is enclosed by the Hofburg building and represents "the most beautiful inner courtyard in Innsbruck". Since the Baroque reconstruction, the courtyard has been decorated with sculptural elements such as pilaster, frames, cornices and the cartouches with the Austrian striped shield in the gables of the facades. The variations ensue from the varying old structures in the east, south, north and west. Four portals allow access into the courtyard. ==Sacred Rooms==

The Hofburg currently houses two chapels that are available for Roman Catholic and ecumenical services, as well as cultural events. • The Silberne Kapelle contains a Renaissance organ. • The Hofburgkapelle is a spacious, light chapel on the second upper floor of the south wing. ==Gallery==

File:HofburgInnsbruck3.JPG|Hofburg on Rennweg File:Innsbruck royal palace.jpg|Hofburg main façade and the North Roundel File:Hofburg-Innsbruck-Innenhof.jpg|Palace courtyard File:Hofburg Innsbruck Lorraine Room.jpg|Lorraine Room File:Hofkirche Innsbruck 1.jpg|Hofkirche ==References==